Abstract: The hippocampus is the learning and memory center of the brain. In order to be fully functional, it has been shown early on that the medial septum, a brain structure that provides very dense input to the hippocampus, is necessary. The medial septum is a complex structure containing an heterogeneity of cell types and circuits and is therefore challenging to investigate. Fortunately, new tools are now available to tease apart the identity and function of the different septo-hippocampal circuits. Using a combination of methods such as optogenetics, calcium imaging and electrophysiology in freely behaving mice, I will show recent results suggesting that the different circuits of the medial septum have very distinct roles in memory encoding and recall.

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